With Bread and Knives
by girl who wrote
Summary: "Stop, stop! Two victors can be crowned after all! Panem, I present to you Clove Chambers and Peeta Mellark, the victors of the 74th Hunger Games!" - AU where Clove and Peeta won, sort of prequel to "tomorrow had been kinder".
1. one

**three minutes and fifty-five seconds before**

"Clove, run!"

She does as told and dashes away, her dark ponytail whipping after her as the trees pass by in one big blur. Behind her runs Cato, constantly looking back and yelling at her, "Hurry up, Clove!" Angered, she runs faster as to not stop and hit him across the face because he can't yell at her like that. No, Clove Chambers is to be feared and admired, not shouted at like she's some kind of obeying animal. But she knows it's for her own safety, knows that he's only shouting because he doesn't want either of them to die.

Clove wills herself to run faster with her legs burning and her breathing trying to keep itself steady. Behind her, she hears the mutt's feet hit the ground hard as the animals rush after them, snarling and growling at the two tributes. She picks up her speed because she is not going to die to be a meal for some ugly mutt. That's not how Clove Chambers will leave the Games behind. She spares a glance at Cato beside her and instantly understands from his facial expression that he doesn't plan on being a one course dinner.

**three minutes and twenty seconds before**

They break out of the thick forest and see the huge cornucopia that looks more like heaven than it does a big hunk of metal. No sign of Fire Girl or Peeta. Somewhere, in the back of her head, Clove hopes that Fire Girl's been eaten alive by the mutts. Devoured like the nothing she is.

Clove reaches the cornucopia first and Cato nearly slams into it only seconds later, breathing hard and wanting a break. A howl echoes in the night and they both hurry to scramble onto the cornucopia. Cato pushes her up and she grabs his hand, pulling his heavy body onto the metal as much as she can before he pushes on to it himself. The mutts claw at the cornucopia, growling silent sentences that scare both Clove and Cato.

If those things weren't down there, wanting to eat them whole, she'd remind herself that she's a career and careers don't get scared. They get angry and surprised and impressed and disgusted but not scared. To be scared is to be weak and Clove knows it, they both know it. But it doesn't stop her from flinching when there's another howl in the dark night.

She stands shakily on the cornucopia and looks at the grass below them from her spot to see more mutts running over to them.

**two minutes and thirty nine seconds before**

Clove realizes it's not them the mutts are rushing to eat, it's Peeta and the Fire Girl. She looks back at Cato, "12 is coming." He stands up quickly and moves over to stand behind her as they watch the other two tributes run to the cornucopia.

Fucking damn it.

**two minutes and thirty seconds before**

Fire Girl rushes up to the cornucopia and is pushed on by Peeta who climbs up after her. Clove wishes she could help him but all she does is stare coldly at the Fire Girl who's got her hands on him, asking if he's okay. Her back is to them but his isn't and he sees them just as he's about to reply to stupid Fire Girl.

"..Clove." Blue meets brown, connecting for a mere moment before she blinks and turns to Cato who's clenched his fists at his sides. Fire Girl looks back at them and her eyes widen at the sight. She stands up quickly but nearly falls over before catching herself and looking at the two of them.

There are no words exchanged, just hard stares. A mutt howls again, another one growls. In the light of the moon, Cato's body crashes into Peeta, his fist making contact with the other's cheek. Fire Girl raises her bow and arrow just as quickly and aims at Clove who has already pulled out her knife.

**two minutes and one second before**

Clove stares Fire Girl right in the eye as she grips the handle of her knife in her raised hand. Fire GIrl looks back at her with equal intensity, bow and arrow positioned to strike and kill in one shot. Behind Fire Girl wrestles Peeta and Cato, both nearly equal in strength. Clove's eyes never leave Fire Girl's but she can hear them and they sound like the only thing she can hear despite the mutt's loud cries.

Cato is trained, Cato will win, Cato will kill Peeta because he knows how to fight the battle with intelligence. Peeta will die, the sentence runs through her head like a mantra. A horrible, dark gut feeling rises in the pit of her stomach and she wants it gone.

**one minute and twenty-two seconds before**

"Shoot and I'll kill him."

Fire Girl doesn't turn at Cato's statement but she answers as she stares angrily at Clove, "You wouldn't." Clove nearly laughs at that but then she remembers it's Peeta they're talking about. Peeta who comforted her when Cato was off with Glimmer, flirting and watching her twirl strands of hair. Peeta who threw his jacket over her and told her to run because Fire Girl had dropped the tracker jacker nest on them. Peeta who'd she'd felt a pang of sadness for when he'd been left there to die. Peeta, Peeta, Peeta.

Fire Girl stares at Cato, her back to Clove. Cato motions to strike but she can't, she can't move at all. Her eyes are glued on Peeta who's trying to keep breathing, something not too easy against Cato's headlock grip. Her knife is still in her grip but it loosens slightly as she stares at the shorter blonde. He mouths something she doesn't catch but then she does, "_Please, Clove._" Her muscles stay locked in place, frozen as she continues to look at him.

"Clove! Kill her!" Cato shouts but she can't. Not yet at least.

**thirty seconds before**

"I.." Clove starts but then she sees Peeta draw an "x" out of blood on Cato's hand. Her head cocks to the side and she stares, confused, at the crimson "x". Then Fire Girl raises her bow and she understands it all. But it all happens much too soon.

"NO! CATO!" She shrieks, lurching forward to try in vain to save him. It's too late, though. The arrow goes through his hands and he shouts in pain, "What the-" Peeta's fist makes contact with his cheek and Cato falls off the cornucopia in what seems like slow motion.

"NO! NO!" She screams but she doesn't hear it. The world is so quiet and all she cares about is Cato falling, Cato looking at her with a look of pain in his eyes. She screams again in pain, her free hand clutching her hair in a rather painful way, pulling a few strands out. The grip on the knife becomes steel tight and before Clove knows what's happening, it's stuck in Katniss's back. The Girl on Fire chokes out blood before her bow and arrow fall to the floor. She soon follows Cato, her lifeless eyes looking up at nothing.

Then there is nothing but silence, terrifying, horrible silence.

**five minutes after**

"Clove, Clove." It's Peeta, shaking her limp body that's lying on the floor. Clove looks at him for a moment before her gaze goes back to the sky, "Just kill me." It's quieter than a whisper and he almost doesn't catch it. The look on his face tells her he does and then he speaks, "No. You're going to go home, Clove."

"..And you?"

"I don't know." His blue eyes water over for the slightest second and she catches it. Catches the hurt look that flashes by his face. Her hand comes up and she traces his strong jaw, fingers barely grazing his dirty skin. Her dark eyes follow her fingers for a moment before she looks up at him, right into his eyes, and whispers, "I'm sorry." He shakes his head and closes his eyes, taking comfort in her touch because Fire Girl is gone. She didn't mean too much but she meant something, just like Clove means something to him.

"It's okay, Clove. It's okay." It doesn't stop her from bursting out into tears and clutching his neck to bring him down into a hug. "I'm sorry," She chokes out, her face buried in his neck as she cries in the pain that's overtaken her. "I'm sorry." She looks up at the sky for a moment because her Cato deserves a sorry too. Brutal and bloody but broken Cato deserves to be apologized to by the person he thought loved him, "..I'm sorry, Cato."

**twenty minutes after**

They lie on the cornucopia, looking at the sky, for minutes after because they took back their promise. Two of them can't go home but Clove knew she'd never go home with Peeta waving goodbye as the train made it's way to District 12. She watches the clouds and wishes she could be one of them, floating happily in the air, not a care in the world. But she isn't. She's a human with feelings, even though she can't feel anything at all at the moment. She's numb, totally and completely numb. And it's horrible.

Peeta takes out Nightlock berries from his pocket and sits up to look down at Clove, "I'll do it if you will." She looks at him at the sound of his voice and sees the berries in his hand. Nodding, she sits up silently and takes a few berries from him. "On three, okay?" He says clearly and she nods once more, looking down at the dark berries mushed in her pale hand.

"One." She breathes and finds peace in the oxygen going through her lungs, the last she'll feel forever.

"Two." He looks at her and pushes away a strand of loose hair as he counts slowly.

"Three." Their eyes lock and both their hands rise slowly to their mouths before a booming voice announces to them:

"_Stop, stop! Two victors can be crowned after all! Panem, I present to you Clove Chambers and Peeta Mellark, the victors of the 74th Hunger Games!_"


	2. two

I feel like the jell-o the Capitol served us only days before - unable to stay in one state of, not stance, but mind. Inside I quake and shake from anger to sadness to guilt. My brutal and bloody but broken Cato is gone forever with not even a goodbye. All he saw was a girl who he thought loved him betray him at last second before he slowly fell to his horrid death. And since that moment, I've been slowly breaking, piece of flesh by piece of flesh. As I screamed aloud before, I clearly recognized it. Clearly recognized that I was going to be just as mad as the girl from 4.

It had all stopped, though, just as quickly as it had come and I was left in eerie silence. The only thing I could - can, actually - hear is nothing at all. And I love it but hate it at the exact same time.

Even now, things are silent. But from Peeta's mouth movements, he is not. He intertwines our hands slowly and smiles at me the boyish grin that makes me give him a tiny sliver of a smile. His mouths moves again and I can tell his happy because it's practically radiating off of him in waves. I try my best to tune into his soft, understanding voice but only catch a few words, "We're - home! You - Clove!" I allow him to squeeze my hand and instead of pulling it away in my usual disgust, I cherish the fact that I can feel his warmth.

But the moment is gone all too soon when our pale hands are being ripped apart. There is no longer warmth and the smile on his face is erased. Now he is angry and I don't understand why exactly but all I want is his hand back in mine because he's the only thing keeping me on this Earth. I reach out for him but something pulls me back roughly and I fall back into cold arms that simply exist along with a body. They do not live, not truly. And that scares me because Peeta does live, he lives everyday of his life greatly.

So I scream in panic and call his name out of numb lips, "PEETA!" I lurch forward again and try to break away from the cold hands but they capture me again and begin to drag me back. He's saying something with a rather calm expression on his face but I can see panic in those betraying blue eyes. Betraying.. I scream again and try to reach for him in vain, "NO! PEETA!"

"Clove! Listen to me, I'll be back with you soon, okay. I promise, I swear." He shouts at me as others drag him away as well. I scream aloud in panic and pain and try to rip myself away from the arms but they won't let me. "Please!" They do not listen to my pleas, however. I can feel tears watering over my dark eyes and if I wasn't so mad, I'd tell myself that careers do not cry. Then again, I'm no longer a career, am I?

* * *

><p>I stand at the mercy of the the hands of my stylists who are looking at me and "tsk"-ing. But they did hug me when I first walked in, congratulated me for winning and smiled big, bright smiles. Now they look at me and frown and say things I don't really catch but I know they concern the scars and grime I have on me. The one with pink hair sighs and says, "Very well" before telling me to strip down and go shower.<p>

I do as told and scrub at my pale skin with the lavender scented soap they have. It's a wonderful scent and I enjoy it for a moment before putting the soap down and rinsing off the suds. A woman with electric blue hair gives me a robe and then they put me down on a cool metal table that makes my skin break out into goosebumps. Two brush the knots out of my hair and others peel the hair off my legs and arms once more.

As they move around me, fixing me, making me beautiful, I think. I enjoyed my time in the medical center more than I do my time here. They didn't poke and prod too much or give me the urge to yell "Ow". I don't, though. I keep my mouth zipped because traitors do not deserve to express their pain. They must suffer on their own.

By the time the stylists are done, I no longer have hair on my arms or legs or anywhere but the needed places. My skin shines, flawless with no traces of any damage done. They've put something in my dark hair because it's so soft and shiny, nothing like the old ponytail I had on a day ago. I look at myself in the mirror and watch as the stylists smile at their work but I cannot see a smile on the face of the girl standing in the midst of the with only a robe on.

They call in a man who looks very simple compared to their crazy eyelashes and hair colors. He smiles at me after telling them to leave, "Congratulations, Clove. I know that's all you've heard but you did a good job in there." I stare at him and recognize him from somewhere. Somewhere but I don't know where. He looks at me and twirls a strand of my hair in his hand before nodding. There's a soft sigh before he speaks, looking me right in the eye, "I was rooting for Katniss, I really was. But I know that you did what you did out of love."

Then it hits me. District 12's stylist, Cinna. The one that had made Fire Girl look so beautiful, beautiful enough to outshine me. There is no anger or envy, not like before. Instead, there's only a tug in my stomach because it registers in my mind that he knows Peeta's stylist, he knows where Peeta is. Peeta who reminds me of my Cato but who's not like him at all.

I blink and nod slowly before whispering an unexpected hoarse voice, "I'm..sorry." Cinna nods at me and takes my cold, pale hand in his darker, warmer one, "It's alright. I know you aren't the same person anymore, I can see it in your eyes. And I know you need Peeta right now but he's getting dressed, you'll see him soon, Clove." I open my mouth to say something more but he squeezes my hand reassuringly and kisses my forehead, murmuring, "I promise." Closing my eyes tightly, I let out a shaky sigh and nod subtly, "Okay."

So I let him dress me carefully and slowly. He dresses me in something simple, something I'm sure he goes for at most times. I watch as he works at putting my shoes on, feeling like a little girl at the same time. So weak, I think, so weak when I was once so strong. At the thought, I raise her foot from his hand and put on the shoes by myself. He stands back and lets her.

My hair is the time consumer of the entire thing. It's curled and tied into a ponytail with a lock of hair free that curves at her forehead. He applies very little make-up, brushing a little bit here and there as my eyes follow his hands easily. Then he's done and I'm looking at another girl in the mirror, a beautiful girl with a pearl white dress that reaches her knees. Her hair is wonderful and she's wearing shoes that have heels and start at her ankles. She looks so amazing and I can barely believe it's her.

Cinna smiles at me from within the mirror, "You looked beautiful even before, Clove." I give him a weak smile but it disappears when his done. He reaches out and grabs my shoulders with a loose grip, turning me around completely, "Listen to me, Clove. When you go out there..they want you to play the love card. You have to pretend that you love Peeta." Needing is close to loving, I want to say. I'm already halfway there.

Instead of saying words, I keep my usually loud mouth quiet and nod instead, still silent. Then he hugs me and I wrap my arms around him as well, clinging to him for dear life.

* * *

><p>I watch through the blinding light as Peeta walks onto the stage, a smile on his face. Seeing through it, I find it to be fake but the relief in his eyes is very real. Relief to be alive, I bet. His eyes connect with mine and he breathes my name but I cannot hear it all too well over the crowd. But I don't really care, all I know is that there is Peeta, Peeta who keeps me grounded.<p>

"Peeta!" I stand up from my chair and rush over to him, heels clacking as I run. I throw myself onto him and his arms wrap around me, bringing me into his warm embrace. I bury my face into his neck and hold onto him, arms wound across his neck. For a moment, I think of Cato. My brutal and bloody but broken Cato.

Before I can stop myself, I find my lips on Peeta's but his are different from Cato. His are sweet and right while Cato's were rough and so very right as well. Confused, my clouded mind doesn't register to pull away as my fingers thread in his blonde hair. The crowd is screaming and I try to focus on our fast heartbeats that beat against each other. I can practically feel the blood rushing through my veins, every last drop.

Instead of panicking and screaming once more, I kiss him harder. Take our breathe away even more. And Peeta, the boy with his bread, kisses me back just as fiercely. Like he's glad to see that I'm alive instead of Fire Girl but I know it's not true. He loved her, right? He loved the Fire Girl because everyone does.

Caeser separates us with a smile on his face, "There's enough time for that later you two lovebirds!" He takes both our hands and leads us to the chairs set up for us. Right next to each other and both glittering pearl. I take a seat in the one closest to Caesar and Peeta takes the other seat for himself. His hand instantly finds me and I'm glad. I show him so by squeezing his hand and he smiles softly at me, a moment I cherish for a second before turning back to Caesar because I will not let myself fall for this boy. He's only a boy, Cato was a man. Cato was what I needed but he is gone. I can't, won't, move on from my Cato.

Cato who I betrayed, I'm reminded painfully. I nearly grimace but Caesar's eyes are right on me, gleaming with the idea of two very "star-crossed lovers". He asks us too many questions but we answer them like we're supposed to.

"When did you realize you loved him, Clove?"

"I guess it was when he comforted me when my other careers left me alone. He was always there for me, even if I didn't ask him to be."

"And you, Peeta?"

"When I saw her at the training center, it was..well, I really noticed her. Then we started spending more time together in the career circle and we just clicked. And I always wanted to be with you." He smiles at me and leans over to kiss my cheek, an action that makes everyone "aw". I smile down at my lap and blush a soft pink at his kiss, playing along.

"You two are just very in love aren't you?" We look at each other and nod at Caeser's question. "Yeah," I start in a low voice, "We really are."

There are more questions and I answer the ones for me in a daze, listen to the ones for Peeta intently, and smile when I have to. His hand squeezes mine once more near the end of the interview and I look up at him questioningly. He simply smiles and motions to Caesar. I turn and blink before asking, "What was that again?" Everyone laughs and I feel shame but then Peeta rubs the back of my hand reassuringly and I feel okay.

Caesar smiles after he's done laughing and repeats his question, "I said that you and your partner, Cato, were very close. Was there ever anything between you two before you and Peeta?" My heart hurts and I feel like bursting into tears like the girl from 4 who won. She's done it before, break down on stage, so they wouldn't be confused about what to do if I did. I don't, though, because Peeta's there rubbing my hand and I try to focus only on him as I answer.

"No, it was always just Peeta."

Lies.


	3. three

**Peeta**

Katniss is gone.

The realization of it hits me as my stylists are rushing around me, making sure my suit is one right. Something hits me in the gut and it hurts. I almost sway back but hold my stance and a man with orange hair glares at me for a second, "Please stand still, Mr. Mellark." I nod and murmur an apology and all the orange haired man does is nod before moving on.

She's really gone. I won't ever be able to see her again. Only in pictures and my thoughts. I don't know why I didn't save her, why I didn't move from my spot when I saw Clove aim at her with her knife. I didn't say anything, I just stood there. Then again, she also did the same for me. She didn't knife Katniss and let me die from Cato's hands. She let me live graciously and I payed her back in a rotten way.

But I also have Katniss to think about. Katniss helped me when no one else did. She came looking for me and I lived another day because of her. I've known Katniss for years and I've only known Clove for days. I've liked Katniss for years but barely even grazed friendship Clove for days. But she wasn't even that .. well, mean before. At least not to me. They' taunt me and call me Lover Boy but she'd just sit in silence because I'd helped her. I'd been there for her when Cato had been too busy with Glimmer and Marvel too busy being an idiot.

Still, that'd only been a day or three at best before Cato had slashed my leg. She hadn't com e back, no, that was Katniss. I think back to the exact moment on the cornucopia and remember that tug of my heart. Telling me that if Cato does die and Katniss turns on Clove, don't just let her shoot the girl. But why would I think that? Why would I care so much about Clove?

"Peeta, are you okay?" I turn my gaze to my side to find Portia looking at me with concern in her eyes as she fixes my hair. I nod and look back at the wall, "I'm fine, Portia. Just fine." There's silence for a while before she speaks again, a comb running through my blonde hair, "You know, she keeps asking for you over there."

Clove. Clove's asking for me. Why? "..Really?" I ask, somewhat shocked that she's asking for me. But at the same time, I'm not so surprised. She'd screamed in agony when we were taken away separately. It had hurt to hear her scream so much, like Annie from District 4 who'd broken down after her victory. I hoped it wouldn't be like that with Clove. Something in my guts dreads ever seeing her in pain again and I don't get it.

"She wants you. She hasn't talked at all. No one really knows why." Portia replies, still trying to comb back my hair, though it's a bit unruly under her comb. All that's going through my head is that Clove wants me. She wants be with her, needs me to some point, I think. And in truth, it scares me a little bit.

* * *

><p>I walk onto the stage to a great round of applause that I don't deserve. Clove sits in one of the two chairs set up next to Caesar and when my eyes fall on her, I'm shocked. She looks like a pure angel in her white dress and curled dark hair. She stands up from her chair quickly and runs towards me before throwing herself onto me completely.<p>

Catching her easily, I wrap my arms around her and pull her in tightly because this is what she wants. She's broken right now and she needs me. But what will happen when she doesn't? The voice in the back of my head asks, I tell it to shut up and continue to hug her. Her skin is soft and her breathe tickles my neck but I don't mind at all.

She pulls her head back and her eyes connect with mine for a moment. I take in just how broken she is, her dark eyes look half hollow. Not at all like the cocky, arrogant Clove I saw on the first day in training. Then again, back then she had a reason to be cocky, still does actually. Her and her good knife skills were the death of many. Death..

I'm still thinking when her lips smash into mine, kissing me with too much passion for it be fake. Her hands weave into my hair and I kiss back with just as much passion, holding her impossibly closer.

The crowd is cheering wildly and I'm glad. Then Caesar makes his presence known and coughs, "Alright you two, there will be enough of that for later!" He jokes and everyone laughs, or at least chuckles. He guides us to our seats and I take the one farthest away from him, which really isn't all that far.

He asks us about twenty questions, a lot more about Cato and Katniss than both Clove and I would like but we answer them. When he asks a question about Cato and Clove, I hold her hand reassuringly and she smiles at me. Caesar then turns his attention to me and asks another question

"And what happened to the Girl on Fire, Peeta? Fell out of love with her when you met lovely Clove over here?" The question hurts but I have to answer it. Did I ever truly love, even like, Katniss? Well, I have liked her but .. love? Love is the one I don't truly know.

Clove squeezes my hand in reassurance, like I did her, and smiles softly me. I sigh and answer his question, "When I met Clove, I realized what it truly meant to be in love with someone." I smile and look back at her before leaning over to kiss her. She kisses me back and it feels strangely right but I know this is all a play with an act that will end soon enough.

* * *

><p><em>"Why did you have to cut him? He didn't do anything wrong!"<em>

_"He helped out 12, Clove!"_

_"How do you know that, Cato?"_

_"I just do! Now lets go."_

_"..Fine." _

Clove. She tried to help me. I almost ask her why but I see her looking down at her lap and decide to do so later. I need to know why.

* * *

><p>Clove looks lost and hurt for a moment as we wave at her cheering district. I smile at them even though I don't necessarily like these people. The look of sadder expressions leaves her face quickly and she brightens up, grinning at district two before giving her traditional smirk. I chuckle and turn my gaze away from her own to smile but it hurts a bit and I know exactly why.<p>

It should be Katniss and I standing here, waving and smiling at our own district but it's not her, it's only me and I'm in district two. She died and I let it happen. I let Clove flick her knife and kill Katniss. My eyes go back to her and I feel guilt for ever thinking of even blaming her. I killed Cato and Cato was everything to her, despite him being a stupid lug. But somewhere inside he was more than that, especially to her. Clove had only done what she'd done out of love and pain but a part of me can't help but dislike her greatly. Not hate, never hate.

She's too different to hate now. If she was still arrogant and mean Clove I'd have no problem hating her but she's not. She's changed, the Games changed her. Her smirk isn't one seen often now, just once in a while when she has to fake it for crowds because, even though changed, she won't let herself be weak.

Her hand slips into mine and I remember where we are. We're waving at her district that keeps on cheering but I notice a few blondes scowling in the background. Cato's family. I continue to smile and wave but I know they're glaring at both me and Clove. As I wave, I wonder how much Gale and Prim will hate me once I get back home.

* * *

><p>"I feel crazy, just like that girl from four."<p>

"You're not, you're perfectly fine, Clove."

"No, I'm not. I'm really not, Peeta. I killed him, I killed Cato." Clove places her face in her hands and sobs. There's a hit to my heart and I quickly bring her into a hug. It's the only thing I know to do when someone's feeling bad. My dad had always done it to me whenever I'd be upset because of mom. Mom. More like the woman who gave birth to me and slaps me around.

No, I won't think of that right now. I shake away the thought and hug shaking Clove even harder. It's not her fault, it was my fault. I pushed Cato down to the mutts and let him die but what else was I supposed to do? They're the Games, aren't they? I didn't want to kill but I had to, I remind myself. I had to. I look down at her for a second and my previous question of finding out why she was arguing with Cato about me flies out the window. I can't question her in such a state, I'm heartless.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. I promise, okay?" She nods in my arms but I can tell she doesn't believe. Maybe she isn't the most stable person right now but she isn't crazy like Annie. She can't be. I could never handle that, and I don't know why exactly I wouldn't be able to. I blame it on the fact that I can never do anything right but then my heart hurts and I try to ignore it best I can.

* * *

><p>I go to sleep exhausted and dream of a big, dark nothing until I'm woken by terrible screams. My heart hurts again but I can't think of that. I rush to my door and swing it open to come face to face with Clove's room door across the hall. Her screams are heard clearly and it hurts for some reason.<p>

Her door is unlocked so I get in easily, pushing the door open quickly. The room is dark but I can see her tossing around in her bed. Her hands clutch the bedsheets and she screams in pain again and again and once more. I move to her side rapidly and sit on the soft bed beside her.

Not thinking, I pull her into my embrace, forcing her to sit up. She curls up against me and her hands grip my shirt with an iron hold. Clove's breathing goes from the even inhale and exhale of sleep back to how it usually is. She wakes quickly and realizes where she is, I can feel her blinking against my chest, but she doesn't move. Instead, she curls in closer, placing herself on my lap and burying her face in my neck.

There's a lot silence for a while until she finally speaks, "Did I wake you?" Her voice sounds hoarse and she herself sounds a bit scared, scared of my answer? It's possible. She was afraid back then when we sat away from the campfire while waiting out Katniss. She'd glared at Cato and Glimmer and from the look in her eyes, I knew she was afraid of losing him to Glimmer.

But my answer is only words. Either way, I reply and try not to think too much, it's starting to hurt my head, "Yeah but it's no big deal." She sighs and her warm breath blows down on my throat, "I'm sorry, Peeta."

"It's fine." And I actually mean it. We spend the rest of the night in each other's arms in silence. It's not scary silence or anything like that, it's a peaceful type. She never moves away and I don't have the heart to go back to my room and leave her alone so I spend the night with her. We fall asleep in the same position and I dream of dark hair and freckles.

* * *

><p><em>an: so there you have it, peeta's view of everything. unfortunately, i don't think i wrote him that well at all. thank you for the lovely reviews though!_


End file.
